ORDER UNGULATE WINTER RANGE U NORTHERN CARIBOU AND STONE S SHEEP Fort St John and Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area

Transcription

1 ORDER UNGULATE WINTER RANGE U NORTHERN CARIBOU AND STONE S SHEEP Fort St John and Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area This order is given under the authority of sections 9(2) and 12(1) of the Government Actions Regulation (B.C. Reg. 582/2004) (GAR). 1. The Deputy Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, being satisfied that i. the following area contains habitat that is necessary to meet the habitat requirements for northern caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and Stone s sheep (Ovis dalli stonei); ii. the habitat requires special management that is not otherwise provided for under GAR or another enactment; orders that a) the area shown in the map set out in the attached Schedule A (U-9-005) and contained in the Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) spatial layer stored in the Geographic Warehouse ((WHSE_WILDLIFE_MANAGEMENT.WCP_UNGULATE_WINTER _RANGE_SP) are established as ungulate winter range U for northern caribou and Stone s sheep. The centre point of the line on the attached Schedule A is what establishes the UWR boundary; and b) if there is a discrepancy between the areas shown in the map set out in the attached Schedule A and the UWR spatial layer stored in the Geographic Warehouse (WHSE_WILDLIFE_MANAGEMENT.WCP_UNGULATE_WINTER _RANGE_SP), the areas as detailed in the UWR spatial layer will take precedent; and c) pursuant to section 7(3) of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation the person(s) required to prepare a forest stewardship plan are hereby exempted from the obligation to prepare results or strategies in relation to the objective set out in section 7(1) of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation to the extent that ungulate winter range U addresses the amount included for northern caribou in the Notice for the Fort St. John TSA. 2. The Deputy Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, being satisfied that i. the general wildlife measures (GWMs) described below are necessary to protect and conserve the habitat of northern caribou and Stone s sheep; and ii. GAR or another enactment does not otherwise provide for that protection or conservation; orders that a) the GWMs outlined in Schedule 1 are established for UWR U

2 Definitions In this schedule: Words and expressions not defined in this order have the meaning given to them in the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and the regulations made under it, unless context indicates otherwise. Key terrestrial lichen communities: are communities with key lichen species utilized by northern ecotype caribou; list of documented key lichen species (species most commonly consumed are in bold) is as follows: Terrestrial Lichens Cetraria spp. Cetraria cuculatta Cetraria islandica Cetraria ericetorum Cetraria nivalis Cladina spp. Cladina mitis Cladonia spp. Cladonia rangiferina Cladonia gracilis Cladonia unicialis Peltigera spp. Peltigera aphthosa Peltigera malacea Stereocaulon spp. Arboreal Lichens Bryoria spp. Usnea spp. Terrestrial lichen habitats generally include the following site characteristics: a. pine-leading forests; b % crown closure; c years of age; d. pine 7 17 m in height; e. a site index < 14.5; f. slope ~ 5%; g. 45 o < aspect < 315 o ; h. dry nutrient poor site series; i. coarse-textured (sandy) soils with a high course fragment content; and j. a duff layer < 5 cm. Note: These attributes are provided for guidance only and area based on literature sources not site specific to Pink Mountain. There are exceptions to the above noted attributes and a thorough walk-through of pine-leading stands will determine whether key lichen communities are present. Single stands may not possess all of these attributes; however, the potential to support key lichens generally increases if one or more of these criteria are met. Current lichen habitat value can be assessed as per A Guide to Evaluating Forest Stands as Terrestrial Lichen Forage Habitat for Caribou Ministry of Environment Omineca Region,

3 Linear corridor: removal of forest cover that results in the creation of linear access routes, including roads, motor-vehicle trails, seismic lines, transmission lines, pipelines, and secondary roads. Primary forest activity: as defined in the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation of the Forest and Range Practices Act, means one or more of the following: a) timber harvesting; b) silviculture treatments (see Silviculture treatment below); c) road construction, maintenance and deactivation. Silviculture treatment: as defined in the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation of the Forest and Range Practices Act, means one or more of the following: a) site preparation for the purposes of reforestation; b) planting trees; c) brushing, including grazing for the purposes of brushing; d) juvenile spacing; e) fertilization; f) pruning; g) sanitation treatments associated with a silviculture treatment; and/or h) pest management treatments, other than sanitation treatments. 3

4 Schedule 1 General Wildlife Measures Northern caribou and Stone s sheep High Elevation Winter Range UWR Units PM-004, 007, 009, 010, 011, 012, 013, 014, 015, and PM-016 Access 1. Primary forest activities will not result in the construction of new roads or linear corridors. Harvesting and Silviculture 2. Primary forest activities will not result in the removal of forest cover. 3. Primary forest activities will not use domestic sheep or goats. 4. Salt or mineral supplement blocks placed within Stone s sheep winter range for the purposed of improving or maintaining domestic cattle and/or horse nutrition will be in an unused condition and must not have been predisposed to contact with domestic sheep, goats or camelids (includes alpacas and llamas). Northern caribou High Elevation Winter Range UWR Units PM-001, 002, 003, 005, 006, 008, and PM-017 Access 5. Primary forest activities will not result in the construction of new roads or linear corridors. Harvesting and Silviculture 6. Primary forest activities will not result in the removal of forest cover. Signed this day of, 2016 Karrilyn Vince, Regional Executive Director Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations 4

5 Appendix 1 The following information is provided as background information and support to the order establishing UWR U This appendix is not part of the order. 1. Activities to which the order does not apply: Section 2(2) of the Government Actions Regulation states An order under any of sections 5 to 15 does not apply in respect of (a) any of the following entered into before the order takes effect: (i) a cutting permit; (ii) a road permit; (iii) a timber sale licence that does not provide for cutting permits; (iv) a forestry licence to cut issued by a timber sales manager under section 47.6 (3) of the Forest Act; (v) subject to subsection (3), a minor tenure, (b) a declared area, (c) areas described in section 196 (1) of the Act, and (d) areas referred to in section 110 of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation. (e) areas referred to in Section 81(1)(i) and 81(1)(e) of the Fort St. John Pilot Project Regulation (FSJPPR) and in Table 16 of the Forest Operations Schedule in effect at the time of the approval 2. Authority to consider an exemption from these GWMs is provided in section 92(1) of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation, section 79(1) of the Woodlot Licenses Planning and Practices Regulation and section 36(3) of the Range Planning and Practices Regulation and section 25(1) of the Fort St. John Pilot Project Regulation (FSJPPR). An exemption may be provided if the Minister s delegate is satisfied that the intent of the GWM will be achieved or that compliance with the provision is not practicable, given the circumstances or conditions applicable to a particular area. An exemption application should be submitted to the Minister s delegate (Director of Resource Management Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations for the Northeast Region) with a rationale describing the nature of the problem and options to integrate winter range conservation with proposed forest practices (a template for exemption requests is available at: This submission will assist in timely consideration of the matter, and will inform the conditions, if any, of the exemption that may be granted prior to commencement of activities. Upon receipt of a complete exemption application, a determination will normally be made within 14 days of arrival. Incomplete packages will be returned to the proponent for re-submission. 3. Exemptions for salvage of dead timber (non-infectious) resulting from severe natural disturbance may only be considered if the proposal is a net benefit to the Ungulate Winter Range species being managed for, as opposed to taking no action. 5

6 4. An exemption is not required for: a. Any harvesting and/or road construction activities related to an approved cutblock (Forest Operations Schedule for the Fort St. John TSA or approved Section 196 (1) and 196 (2) cutblock and Category A cutblocks for the Fort Nelson and Mackenzie TSAs); 5. These GWMs do not apply to persons who must comply with the Worker s Compensation Act and the regulations under that Act (e.g. danger tree felling). Appendix 2 Supporting Information The following guidelines are intended to provide information to consider when implementing the general wildlife measures for U Professionals preparing operational plans and carrying out practices have site-specific discretion and flexibility in prescribing methods to achieve the desired habitat condition. Applicable to High Elevation Winter Range (GWMs 1 thru 6) 1) For any harvesting activities related to cutblocks in existing Forest Operations Schedule for the Fort St. John TSA or approved Section 196 (1) and 196 (2) cutblock and Category A cutblocks for the Fort Nelson and Mackenzie TSAs, licensees should give consideration to: a) utilizing existing linear corridors for the construction of new roads b) constructing access to the lowest standard possible (as long as safety elements are met); c) minimizing snow ploughing of access routes within and adjacent to caribou habitat to reduce predator use and minimize predation risk; d) avoid altering surface hydrology and flow patterns and maintain natural drainage patterns; e) providing adequate visual screening along roads and minimizing line-of-sight on new roads. f) minimizing growth of early-seral forage species within harvested cutblocks; g) conducting primary forestry practices to result in the enhancement of key terrestrial lichen communities, including (1) timing harvesting activities during frozen ground conditions with sufficient snow cover to improve terrestrial lichen survival and regeneration; (2) controlling slash build-up to improve lichen survival and regeneration; and (3) retaining Wildlife Tree Patches (WTPs) as islands to serve as dispersal sources for lichen propagules (see details on GWM 11); h) maintaining a minimum of 10% representative pre-harvest mature/old forest as WTPs within clearcut areas; i) where non-conventional silviculture systems are used (e.g. strip, shelterwood or selection cutting), retaining a minimum of 44% of the representative stand in mature/old seral stage (>100 years old); and j) promote regeneration of natural, pre-harvest ecosystems by avoiding artificial seeding of grass- and legume-based mixes. The use of herbicides may be used to promote natural regeneration. 6

7 2) When planning winter harvesting or silviculture treatment activities for cutblocks in existing Forest Operations Schedule (Fort St. John TSA) or approved Section 196 (1) and 196 (2) cutblock and Category A cutblocks (Fort Nelson and Mackenzie TSAs), licensees should consider timing activities for early winter (November 1 to February 15) to reduce sensory disturbance and potential displacement of caribou and Stone s sheep from important habitats during the physiologically stressful late winter period. Applicable to Caribou and Stone s Sheep High Elevation Winter Range (GWMs 1 thru 4) 1) When implementing timber harvest/silviculture requirements under GWM 3 within cutblocks in existing Forest Operations Schedule (Fort St. John TSA) or approved Section 196 (1) and 196 (2) cutblock and Category A cutblocks (Fort Nelson and Mackenzie TSAs), licensees must not use domestic sheep or goats where wild sheep populations occur, either seasonally or year-round. 7